National Inventor's Day

Challenge #1

Can you draw your own invention that will make something better?

Did you know: Louis Braille suffered a serious eye injury when he was just 3 years old. Not only did the accident render him blind on that side, the infection spread and blinded the other eye as well. After more than a decade of struggling with the slow system of tracing his finger over raised letters, Braille was 12 when he learned of a method of silent communication originally created for the French military. He simplified it, and in 1824 the Braille language was born.

Challenge #2

Can you draw a cooking utensil as a toy?

Did you know: Flexible thinking is the ability to see many possibilities, or view objects or situations in different ways. Young children are often masters of flexible thinking. They use it when they turn a flowerpot into a hat or a spoon into a microphone, or when they think of the many reasons why a child in a picture or story might be feeling sad.

Challenge #3

Can you draw something that frustrates you?

Did you know: The best inventions solve a problem, address an unmet need. This is true for all inventions and invention ideas for kids are not different. Encourage children to conduct a frustrations diary. What annoys them in every day life? Don’t think about solutions yet, just brainstorm ideas...